TOKYO: A Japanese intelligence agency has warned of economic security threats emanating from China, which it says is heading to acquire technology that can be used for several purposes like acquiring Japanese firms and recruiting talented human resources.
In an annual report released last week, the Japanese agency said, “There is a concern that China will continue to work on acquiring (Japanese) companies and inviting human resources with advanced expertise.”
The Japan Times reported that there have been examples of Chinese companies investing in or attempting to acquire Japanese companies in the semiconductor field and other areas.
The report further states that Japanese researchers are participating in China’s “thousand talents program” to recruit talented people from overseas with abundant funds.
This ambitious plan aims to attract scientists and engineers from overseas. Since 2008, through this plan, China has recruited researchers from countries including the US, the UK, Germany, Singapore, Canada, Japan, Australia, and France. This comes at a time Beijing has long been suspected of engaging in hacking and intellectual property theft.
The Japanese agency said there have been a series of cyberattacks aimed at stealing confidential information from their companies. Cyberattacks are becoming more common and sophisticated in Japan and abroad, the agency added.
It further cautions on the possibility of cyberattacks from countries like China, Russia, and North Korea. The threats from cyberattacks are becoming more serious, it added. (ANI)
